Hey There ‘25

Happy belated New Year one and all,

I hope your respective side of the internet is treating you well. We are just shy of the 3rd week of January with a pending Polar Vortex coming our way…on the heals of a +1 Celsius day tomorrow…so that will be fun. I’m actually looking forward to it, apparently we will be seeing some snow before the cool temps hit…so while we’ve had hints of winter, we haven’t had the real big snow falls that I like, and we’re about to get a shot of REAL winter.

Anywho, onto the mandatory rehashing of the gaming year that was…

I tried to keep my goals pretty basic last year, nothing too in-depth, but enough specificity to guide the years activities. Reviewing my list from almost this exact time 12 months ago…

1. Work on a proper Red/Northern Dawn scenario, ideally 2 of them, and that includes the terrain to get it to the table. So, I would like to work through the VDV starter box, and fill out my Cdn Abn Regt; this one didn’t age well…while the scenario development and Cdn Abn died on the vine, I did finish the VDV starter box…so yeah, me. I did however get a chance to do a recce of southern Alberta this past year, and that will help guide scenario development as well as any terrain building that I need to do. I’ll keep this at the edge of the table.

2. Work on a 15mm scenario inspired by some of the Bush War actions, I think this will be a good kickstart for me to push som progress on the greater Afropia idea - and really work on some of the wider mechanics and construct of that verse; this is another idea that didn’t get too far. I did however start penning the initial build-up to an Afropian scenario/campaign. I have the initial die-rolls, but just need to get some of the actual gaming complete and then work on some of the higher level elements. 

3. I’d like to get some moderns to the table, so thinking of either Danger Close, Spectre Ops, or Force on Force, but moreso a limited small action scenario; I’m going to call this one a big success. I was able to get a few games in, paint a few figs, make some terrain, and get a game for CanGames. The game was a mixed success, but I’m going to chalk this up as a win regardless.. and

4. Continue with MCP played a couple of games, finally painted up Cap’n Sam America. I have a backlog that really needs some love…and get my Hoth force for Star Wars Legion moving. Wow! SW Legion did not get any love from me this year…I did get a few figures as gifts, but my Hoth intentions ran rather Coldth…

One this that I did not forecast last year, but ended up making a heap of progress with was my dive back into 15mm. Thanks to my VDV work, I was able to pull ahead by a few hundred figures, most of them 15mm, and had been sitting in the lead/plastic pile for years. I finished the US Parachute Company for FoW and Force on Force…So yeah, victory!

So the question stands…what will the painting gods bring us over the next year?

1. I want to get moving…somewhat slowly with Afropia. I have the bones of a mash up between Petoriastan and Aponwana. And it gives me the chance to try a few different game types, as well as some game mechanics that I’ve been checking out. So I am actually getting exciting with the idea…again.

2. Stemming from my 15mm US Parachute Company painting…I want to get a similar number of German infantry on the table, mix of basing for FoW and FoF, so that I can run a game at CanGames this year. I think it will be a FoF game, with Market Garden as the inspiration. More to follow on that.

3. Recycle some of the ideas about Red/Northern Dawn and get some Cdn Abn painted, as well as the framework of some scenarios and some small town Alberta terrain done.

4. Misc…SW Legion of course, MCP as well…and whatever floats the ole boat. Of course, I think it’s time I did a big clean of the basement area and get an appreciation for what I actually have and thin some of the not so achievable. More to follow on that one, lol

That’s it folks. Thanks for tuning in…take care of yourselves and all the best in the new year.

Cheers.

Hello There 20-24

Hey everyone,

Winter is finally upon us…we made it until the second week of January before we saw any snow to follow-up our original snowfall back in mid November. Depending on where you are in Canada right now you are potentially feeling some -40 to -50 Celsius weather, and in some areas that very rarely get any subzero temps…so stay warm Canada.

So, with the dawning of the new year, I guess its time for the mandatory review and some forward thought…last year, my plan was fairly straight forward (I think): paint up more figures, focus on 15mm, get some more gaming in, try some new games, and work through the pile of lead (shame). By year’s end, I was sitting around 133 x 15mm figs painted (vehicle and troops) and 62 x 28mm figs…not my best output, and certainly not my worst output. I worked through a bunch of moderns and Team Yankee figs and I was happy that I started to get into some old starter/expansion boxes that I had laying about.

I didn’t game as much as I wanted to, but I was really happy that I got to give Marvel Crisis Protocol a shot and really enjoyed the game and mechanics. It was pretty cool, finally seeing some figs on the table. 

I had intended on working towards some set projects, but admittedly, I just couldn’t muster the focus. I put plenty of thought towards Afropia, but most of it stayed in the brain pan…although, I did work through some 15mm Team Yankee Red Dawn Insurgents/Militia that will fit in nicely. Funny enough, in the last week before end-year, I ended up looking through some of my terrain collection, put some thoughts towards potential actions, and am thinking that I may need to do a re-think and sync on the project.

So, that leads into the soothsaying and what will the next year hold. Painting more is an ongoing objective, I have plenty in the pile to work through, and some great looking MCP characters to bring to life. So that will continue to be a thing. With the release of NATO Forces, I have some Canadian Airborne Regiment and Special Service Force troops to put together for a continental Canada force. I had started a Cold War scenario some time ago, so I will continue developing that. I have been painting up a good amount of moderns over the last 2 years, so I would like to see them get to the table.

I think I will try to focus my efforts around the following projects and see how it goes:

1. Work on a proper Red/Northern Dawn scenario, ideally 2 of them, and that includes the terrain to get it to the table. So, I would like to work through the VDV starter box, and fill out my Cdn Abn Regt;

2. Work on a 15mm scenario inspired by some of the Bush War actions, I think this will be a good kickstart for me to push som progress on the greater Afropia idea - and really work on some of the wider mechanics and construct of that verse; 

3. I’d like to get some moderns to the table, so thinking of either Danger Close, Spectre Ops, or Force on Force, but moreso a limited small action scenario; and

4. Continue with MCP…and get my Hoth force for Star Wars Legion moving.

I think that covers enough variance over genre…and approaches more of the lead pile. So, we’ll see how we go over the next few months and start getting onto the verse’s.

Take care folks.

Customer service SHOUT-OUT...Thank you

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to post a quick shout-out to some customer service that I recently received that really surpassed my expectation.  In November I posted a review for Battlefronts Leopard 1 box...here...I was pretty happy with the idea of getting my Canuck C1's on the road.

I was kind of bummed when the box had some issues...the treads were warped and one of the hulls had bubbles in the resin...so, I emailed the folks at Battlefront and gave them a run down of the issues.  I was really hoping for a replacement tank or 2...but instead, this showed up in the mail:

Wow! And when I opened up the box and checked...the tracks were straight as hell...outstanding!

Look Ma! No bubbles!!

So, to say the least I was very surprised, pleasantly, with the steps that the folks at Battlefront took to address the issues I had with the models.  I admit, I was hoping for a tank or two, but certainly was not expecting a fresh box.

Thank you Battlefront...as you can see by my current figures on the painting pallet, here's to more Team Yankee in the New Year.

How do you fit 3 Leopards in a tiny box?

Howdy all...Happy Thanksgiving to my American comrades and internet folk.  Funny enough, when I think of Thanksgiving and/or Turkey day...depending on how you call it, I have a few automatic thoughts that pop into my head.

I remember one of the most appreciated meals I've had in my life...thanks to the hospitality of the folks at the American embassy in post-war Kigali allowing a few drop-ins to share their meal.  The steamed carrots were outstanding!

And...a favourite since I was a kid...I can never let a Thanksgiving go by without thinking of this scene from WKRP in Cincinnati:

So...with those thoughts in mind...Happy Thanksgiving folks.

And now, the rest of the post...since Battlefront announced that they were expanding Team Yankee to include West Germans I have been severely pumped to get my hands on some Leopard 1's for my 4CMBG Battle Group...I will have to take a look at the Panzertruppen expansion to see how BF handles 'companies' of Leopard 1's...but my ultimate objective is to have a full Troop of Leopards along with a battery of M109's and at least 2 platoons of infantry.

Anyway, since I've been pretty pumped, I thought I'd share my thoughts as I unboxed the Leopard 1 platoon box...answer that inane question...how do you get 3 Leopards in such a tiny box...this is how...

The Box...worktable in the background...but the box looks good, nice view of the tanks...smart looking roads and fields in the behind them...very nice product placement.

The Contents...top view...unit cards bundled together...there's a card for a Recce Company HQ element, platoon element, and a Panzer Division org card.  The Leopard 1's, unlike the Leo 2's are a resin model...not plastic...with a resin hull and turret, metal main gun barrel, hatch, and machinegun.

The bottom of the box, looking up...you can see the resin cast tracks and side skirts...like their Centurion models for Vietnam and Fate of a Nation, the bulk of the tank model is resin...in this case like all of their Team Yankee kit I've seen to date, even the vehicle commanders are non-metal sculpts.  I liked the poses for the Russian commanders so far and the West Germans do not disappoint...very nice looking commanders...they will suit nicely as Canucks.

The biggest thing to remember with this box...is that while the 'big' releases for Team Yankee have been all-plastic (by big I mean those units that you need many multiples of, i.e. T72's, M1A1's, M113's, BMP's, Leopard 2's, Marder's, Chieftain's, etc.).  Why remember this? Well, the Leopard 1's put together okay...they can take some work to put together nicely...very reminiscent of pre-plastic Flames of War...the plastics released so far with Team Yankee have been very nice, and I have found them to be fairly straightforward and relatively easy to assemble...they take some time with all of the small parts, but they look sharp and all pieces fit very well together.

The Leopard 1 box is a resin beast in comparison and my main disappointment, contrary to my experience with the resin Centurion, is that the track/side skirt assembly requires a fair bit of sanding to make fit...this is necessary to make these pieces fit as flush as possible to the main hull without any gaps between the skirt and hull.

If there's a gap, you'll notice it...the tread pattern will poke out.  The pic above you can see two things, first the 'tread' pattern that you can see if there are any gaps...second, my main beef with this model.  When I unboxed this set, I had 2 boxes of Leopards.  The first box went together pretty good...took some sanding, but I was happy for the most part.

The second box was not as smooth...not only was sanding required...BUT there was no amount of sanding that I could do to make these tracks fit flush with the hull...if you look at the picture, you can see that the tread is warped/bowed.  This puppy ain't flushing at all...as you can see, it takes a fair bit of sanding to make it happen.  Unfortunately, on top of the warped treads, there were also hollow weak points in the resin itself which resulted in a couple of sink holes in the hulls...as you can see below for example. 

 Overall, I am happy with the models, they look good when built, I expect the painting process to mirror my experience for the past 10 years...and while I recognize that with any process there will be some issues (it's a given, it has happened before, it will again) I know that my email to the Battlefront customer service will mirror my previous experiences and these folks work hard to keep us gamers happy and get frustrated when we get frustrated.

So, how do I keep smiling...I think of the great customer service coming my way...and on this Turkey time of the season for my American friends...I remember my Kigali turkey dinner and am happy that a few years or so (ish) later...I can sit at home and have the luxury of having a first world problem.

Take care folks.

More to follow on this project as I get my Leo's done...and have my 4CMBG Battle Group take shape.